GeothermalXperts, Inc. A DIVISION OF

Transcription

1 GeothermalXperts, Inc. A DIVISION OF

2 8 Reasons Why You ll Fall in Love with Geothermal Page 3 Geothermal Solutions Article By Ray Ben Erskins.Page 4 What You Should Know about Geothermal!....Page 5 Geothermal Heat Pumps: What are They and How Do They Work? Page 6 Mechanics of the Heat Pump Process.Page 7 Closed -Loop Systems..Page 8 Open -Loop Systems.Page 11 Geothermal Heat Pumps: Parts of the System.Page 13 Geothermal Heat Pumps: What are The Major Benefits? Page 15 Questions YOU should ask.page 16 Did You Know? Green Facts about Geothermal Heat Pumps.Page 18 Glossary Page 19 Geothermal Tax Credit.. Page 21 Why Should You Choose Us? Page 23 Accreditations Page 26 2

3 1. LOW OPERATING COSTS - Energy savings up to 60% Vs. Gas, Electric, or Oil furnaces. Groundwater Heat Pumps reduce heating & cooling costs and provide domestic water heating essentially free or at substantial savings. 2. EFFICIENT - Systems are up to four times as efficient as the most efficient fossil fuel furnace. Instead of burning a combustible fuel to make heat, they simply move heat that already exists. 3. LOW MAINTENANCE Groundwater heat pumps have fewer mechanical components making them more reliable, easier to service and less prone to failure. The loops have an expected life of over 55 years. 4. SAFETY Small operating unit inside the building. Loops are buried. No dangerous outdoor equipment. 5. LOW NOISE No noisy heat exchanger outdoors. No Water Tower No roof installation 6. ENERGY CONSERVATION - Groundwater Heat Pump systems work with the environment by absorbing renewable non-polluting solar thermal energy stored in the earth & ground water and using that energy to heat & cool your home or building. 7. SPACE SAVINGS More rentable space or living space. 8. ENVIRONMENT Reduced use of refrigerants, sealed system which does not harm the ozone layer, reduced emissions, no venting of fossil fuels. 3

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6 Since the mid-1970s, tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the U.S., Canada and Europe have been heated and cooled by a system that bridges the gap between high technology and energy savings the geothermal heat pump. Consumers are searching for a better way to get more out of their energy dollar. And many have found their answer to be the geothermal heat pump. This booklet was developed as an introduction to the geothermal heating and cooling technology. Using a question and answer format, we ve tried to provide you with the information many consumers have sought about geothermal heat pumps. Geothermal Heat Pumps: What are they and how do they work? Q: What is a geothermal heat pump? A: A geothermal heat pump is an electrically-powered device that uses the natural heat storage ability of the earth and/or the earth s groundwater to heat and cool your home or business. Q: How does it work? A: Like any type of heat pump, it simply moves heat energy from one place to another. Your refrigerator works using the same scientific principle. By using the refrigeration process, geothermal heat pumps remove heat energy stored in the earth and/or the earth s groundwater and transfer it to the home. Q: How is heat transferred between the earth and home? A: The earth has the ability to absorb and store heat energy. To use that stored energy, heat is extracted from the earth through a liquid medium (groundwater or anti-freeze solution) and is pumped to the heat pump or heat exchanger. There, the heat is used to heat your home. In summer the process is reversed and indoor heat is extracted from your home and transferred to the earth through the liquid. Q: You mentioned heating and cooling. Does it do both? A: One of the things that makes a heat pump so versatile is its ability to be a heating and cooling system in one. You can change from one mode to another with a simple flick of a switch on your indoor thermostat. In the cooling mode, a geothermal heat pump takes heat from indoors and transfers it to the cooler earth through either groundwater or an underground loop system. Q: Do I need separate ground loops for heating and cooling? A: No. the same loop works for both. All that happens when changing from heating to cooling, or vice versa, is that the flow of heat is reversed. 6

7 Geothermal Heat Pumps: What are they and how do they work? (cont.) Q: What types of loops are available? A: There are two main types: open and closed. Q: Does the underground pipe system really work? A: The buried pipe, or ground loop, is the most recent technical advancement in heat pump technology. The idea to bury pipe in the ground to gather heat energy began in the 1940s. But it s only been in the last few years that new heat pump designs and improved pipe materials have been combined to make geothermal heat pumps the most efficient heating and cooling systems available. The Mechanics of the Heat Pump Process Anyone who has a refrigerator or an air conditioner has witnessed the operation of a heat pump, even though the term heat pump may be unfamiliar. All of these machines, rather than making heat, take existing heat and move it from a lower temperature location to a higher temperature location. Refrigerators and air conditioners are heat pumps which remove heat from colder interior spaces to warmer exterior spaces for cooling purposes. Heat pumps also move heat from a low-temperature to a high-temperature space for heating. An air-source heat pump, for example, extracts heat from outdoor air and pumps it indoors. A geothermal heat pump works the same way, except that its heat source is the warmth of the earth. The process of elevating low-temperature heat to over 100 degrees F and transferring it indoors involves a cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion. A refrigerant, like Freon, is used as the heat-transfer medium which circulates within the heat pump. The cycle starts as the cold, liquid refrigerant passes through a heat exchanger (evaporator) and absorbs heat from the low-temperature source (liquid from the ground loop). The refrigerant evaporates into a gas as heat is absorbed. The gaseous refrigerant then passes through a compressor where the refrigerant is pressurized, raising its temperature to over 180 degrees F. Heat Exchanger The hot gas then circulates through a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger where heat is removed and pumped into the home at about 100 degrees F. When it loses the heat, the refrigerant changes back to a liquid. The liquid is cooled as it passes through an expansion valve and begins the process again. To become an air conditioner, the flow is reversed. 7

8 Geothermal heat pumps: Closed-Loop Systems Q: What is a closed-loop system? A: The term closed-loop is used to describe a geothermal heat pump system that uses a continuous loop of special buried plastic pipe as a heat exchanger. The pipe is connected to the indoor heat pump to form a sealed, underground loop through which an antifreeze solution is circulated. Unlike an open-loop system that consumes water from a well, a closedloop system recirculates its heat transferring solution in pressurized pipe. Q: Where can this loop be located? A: That depends on land availability and terrain. Most closed-loops are trenched horizontally in yards adjacent to the home. But any area near a home or business with appropriate soil conditions and adequate square footage will work. Q: How deep and long will my trenches be? A: Trenches are normally four to six feet deep and up to 400 feet long, depending on how many pipes are in a trench. One of the advantages of a horizontal loop system is being able to lay the trenches according to the shape of the land. As a rule of thumb, feet of pipe is required per ton of system capacity. A well-insulated, 2,000-square-foot home would need about a three-ton system with 1,500-1,800 feet of pipe. Q: How many pipes are in a trench? A: Normally, a run of pipe is laid at five feet then looped back over itself at three feet once the bottom pipe is covered with soil. This allows more length of pipe to be put in one trench and has no adverse affect on system efficiency. Other loop designs use four or six pipes and allow for shorter trenches if land area is limited. Q: What if I don t have enough room for a horizontal loop? A: Closed-loop systems can also be vertical. Holes are bored to about feet per ton of heat pump capacity. U-shaped loops of pipe are inserted in the holes. The holes are then backfilled with a sealing solution. Q: How long will the loop pipe last? A: Closed-loop systems should only be installed using high-density polyethylene or polybutylene pipe. Properly installed, these pipes will last years. They are inert to chemicals normally found in soil and have good heat conducting properties. PVC pipe should not be used under any circumstances. Q: How are the pipe sections of the loop joined? A: The ONLY acceptable method to connect pipe sections is by thermal fusion. Pipe connections are heated and fused together to form a joint stronger than the original pipe. Mechanical joining of pipe for an earth loop is NEVER an accepted practice. The use of barbed fittings, clamps and glued joints is certain to result in loop failure due to leaks. 8

9 Geothermal heat pumps: Closed-Loop Systems (continued) Q: Will an earth loop affect my lawn or landscape? A: No. Research has proven that loops have no adverse effect on grass, trees or shrubs. Most horizontal loop installations use trenches about six inches wide. This, of course, will leave temporary bare areas that can be restored with grass seed or sod. Vertical loops require little space and result in minimal lawn damage. Q: Can I reclaim heat from my septic system disposal field? A: No. An earth loop will reach temperatures below freezing during extreme conditions and may freeze your septic system. Such usage is banned in many areas. Q: If the loop falls below freezing, will it hurt the system? A: No. The antifreeze solution in the loop will keep it from freezing down to about 10 degrees F. Three types of antifreeze solution are acceptable: propylene glycol, calcium chloride and methyl alcohol. Q: Can I install an earth loop myself? A: It s not recommended. In addition to thermal fusion of the pipe, good earth-to-coil contact is very important for successful loop operation. Nonprofessional installations may result in less than optimum system performance. Most closed-loop systems use trenched-in pipe as a heat source. 9

10 Geothermal heat pumps: Closed-Loop Systems (continued) Q: I have a pond near my home. Can I put a loop in it? A: Yes, if it s deep enough and large enough. A minimum of six feet in depth at its lowest level during the year is needed for a pond to be considered. In pond loops, copper, polyethylene or polybutylene pipe can be used. A pond can be used as a heat source if it has adequate depth. 10

11 Geothermal Heat Pumps: Open-loop Systems Q: What is an open-loop system? A: The term open-loop is commonly used to describe a geothermal heat pump system that uses groundwater from a conventional well as a heat source. The groundwater is pumped into the heat pump unit where heat is extracted, and then the water is disposed of in an appropriate manner. Since groundwater is a relatively constant temperature year-round, it is an excellent heat source. Q: What do I do with the discharge water? A: There are a number of ways to dispose of water after it has passed through the heat pump. The open discharge method is the easiest and least expensive. Open discharge simply involves releasing the water into a stream, river, lake, pond, ditch, or drainage tile. Obviously, one of these alternatives must be readily available and must possess the capacity to accept the amount of water used by the heat pump before open discharge is feasible. A second means of water discharge is the return well. A return well is a second well bore that returns the water to the ground aquifer. A return well must have enough capacity to dispose of the water passed through the heat pump. A new return well should be installed by a qualified well driller. Likewise, a professional should test the capacity of an existing well before it is used as a return. Open-loop systems use groundwater from a well as a heat source. 11

12 Geothermal Heat Pumps: Open-loop Systems (continued) Q: How much groundwater does an open-loop system need? A: Geothermal heat pumps used in open-loop systems need differing amounts of water depending on the size of the unit and the manufacturer s specifications. The water requirement of a specific model is usually expressed in gallons per minute (g.p.m.) and is listed in the specifications for that unit. Your heating contractor should be able to provide this information. Generally, the average system will use 6-10 g.p.m. while operating. Your well and pump combination should be large enough to supply the water needed by the heat pump in addition to your domestic water requirements. You will probably need to enlarge your pressure tank or modify your plumbing to supply adequate water to the heat pump. Q: What problems can be caused by poor water quality? A: Poor water quality can cause serious problems in open-loop systems. Your water should be tested for hardness, acidity and iron content before a heat pump is installed. Your contractor or equipment manufacturer can tell you what level of water quality is acceptable. Mineral deposits can build up inside the heat pump s heat exchanger. Sometimes a periodic cleaning with a mild acid solution is all that s needed to remove build-up. Impurities, particularly iron, can eventually clog a return well. If your water has high iron content you should be sure that the discharge water is not aerated before it s injected into a return well. Finally, you should opt against using water from a spring, pond, lake, or river as a source for your heat pump system unless it s proven to be free of excessive particles and organic matter. They can clog a heat pump and make it inoperable in a short time. Q: Does an open-loop system cause environmental damage? A: No. They are pollution free. The heat pump merely removes heat from or adds heat to the water. No pollutants are added whatsoever. The only change in the water returned to the environment is a slight increase or decrease in temperature. Some people are concerned that open-loop systems contribute to the depletion of our ground water resources. This issue is not critical in some parts of North America because of abundant supplies of groundwater. Q: Are there any laws that apply to open-loop installations? A: In some localities, all or parts of the installation may be subject to local ordinances, codes, covenants or licensing requirements. Check with local authorities to determine if any restrictions apply in your area. 12

13 Geothermal Heat Pumps: Parts of the System What are the components of a geothermal heat-pump system? A: The three main parts are the heat-pump unit, the liquid heat-exchange medium (open or closed loop), and the air-delivery system (ductwork). Q: Are all geothermal heat pumps alike? A: No. There are different kinds of geothermal heat pumps designed for specific applications. Many geothermal heat pumps, for example are intended for use only with higher temperature ground water encountered in open-loop systems. Others will operate at entering water temperatures as low as 25 degrees F which is possible in closed-loop systems. Most geothermal heat pumps provide summer air conditioning, but a few brands are designed only for winter heating. Sometimes these heating-only systems incorporate a groundwater-cooled coil that can provide cooling in moderate climates. Geothermal heat pumps can also differ in the way they are designed. Self-contained units combine the blower, compressor, heat exchanger, and coil in a single cabinet. Split systems allow the coil to be added to a forced-air furnace and utilize the existing blower. Q: Will I have to add insulation to my home if I install one of these systems? A: Geothermal heat pumps will reduce your heating and cooling costs regardless of how well your home is insulated. However, insulating and weatherizing are key factors in realizing the most savings from any type of heating and cooling system. Q: Can a geothermal heat pump also heat water for my home? A: Yes. Using what s called a desuperheater, some types of geothermal heat pumps can save you up to 50% on your water-heating bill by pre-heating tank water. Desuperheaters are standard on some units, optional on others. Some geothermal models can provide all of your hot water needs on demand at the same high efficiencies as the heating/cooling cycles. Q: Is a geothermal heat pump difficult to install? A: Most units are easy to install, especially when they are replacing another forced-air system. They can be installed in areas unsuitable for fossil fuel furnaces because there is no combustion, thus, no need to vent exhaust gases. Ductwork must be installed in homes that don t have an existing air distribution system. The difficulty of installing ductwork will vary and should be assessed by a contractor. 13

14 Geothermal Heat Pumps: Parts of the System Q: Can a geothermal heat pump be added to my fossil fuel furnace? A: Split systems can easily be added to existing furnaces for those wishing to have a dualfuel heating system. Dual-fuel systems use the heat pump as the main heating source and a fossil fuel furnace as a supplement in extremely cold weather if additional heat is needed. Q: I have ductwork, but will it work with this system? A: In all probability, yes. Your installing contractor should be able to determine ductwork requirements and any minor modifications, if needed. Q: Do I need to increase the size of my electric service? A: Geothermal heat pumps don t use large amounts of resistance heat, so your existing service may be adequate. Generally, a 200-amp service will have enough capacity, and smaller amp services may be large enough in some cases. Your electric utility or contractor can determine your service needs. Q: Should I buy a heat pump large enough to heat my home with no supplemental heat? A: Your contractor should provide a heating and cooling load calculation (heat loss, heat gain) to guide your equipment selection. Geothermal heat pumps are sized to meet your cooling requirements. Depending on your heating needs, a geothermal heat pump will supply percent of your design heating load. Sizing the heat pump to handle your entire heating needs may result in slightly lower heating costs, but the savings may not offset the added cost of the larger heat-pump unit. Also, an oversized unit can cause dehumidification problems in the cooling mode, resulting in a loss of summer comfort. Q: Do geothermal heat pumps have outdoor units? A: No. The equipment goes inside your home, usually in the basement, garage or crawl space. Because it s indoors, the lifespan of the compressor and major components are greatly extended, most having a lifespan of 20 years or more. 14

15 Geothermal heat pumps: What are the major benefits? Q: How efficient is a geothermal heat pump? A: They are more than three times as efficient as the most efficient fossil fuel furnace. Instead of burning a combustible fuel to make heat, they simply move heat that already exists. By doing that, they provide three units of energy for every one unit used to power the heat-pump system. Q: What does a system like this cost? A: A system for the typical home will cost more than if you bought a separate furnace and central air-conditioning system. But you wouldn t really be comparing apples to apples. To get an accurate comparison of costs you need to consider the following: Payback, or how long it takes to recover the difference in costs between the two systems using energy savings. Payback for most geothermal heat-pump systems runs two to six years. Energy efficiency of the two systems. To get an accurate picture, make sure efficiency claims are substantiated. Your lifestyle and how well your home is insulated affect how economical a system will be. Total operating savings from heating, cooling and domestic hot water must be combined to get an accurate picture of total energy savings. Energy costs and availability, both present and future. Maintenance costs and system reliability. System lifespan. Q: What about comfort? A: A geothermal heat pump system moves warm air (90 degrees 105 degrees) throughout your home via a standard duct network. Typically, a very even comfort level is found throughout the home. This is because the warm air is moved in slightly higher volumes and, therefore, saturates the home with warmth more evenly. This helps even out hot or cold spots and eliminates the cold air blast common with fossil fuel furnaces. Q: Can I get a tax credit for installing this system? A: It depends on where you live. Some states and provinces do have tax credits for installing geothermal system. Check with your electric utility, Department of Commerce or Ministry of Revenue for further details. Q: Which system is best, open- or closed-loop? A: The net results in operating cost and efficiency are virtually the same. Which system to choose depends mainly on whether you have an adequate groundwater supply and means of disposal. If you do, an open loop can be used very effectively. If not, either a horizontal or vertical closed-loop system is your best choice. Over a period of years, a closed-loop system will require less maintenance because it s sealed and pressurized, eliminating the possible build-up of minerals or iron deposits. 15

16 Geothermal heat pumps: Questions you should ask about a new heating system Regardless of the type of heating system you may be considering for your home or business, there are specific questions you should ask the dealer/installer. These questions deal with finding out the actual efficiency of the system, any operating limitations it may have, and the bottom line of operating costs. The answers here are meant as a guide for what you should try to find out with your questions. Q: What is the Btu size of the furnace that s being proposed? A: Furnaces are designed to provide specific amounts of heat energy per hour. The term Btuh refers to how much heat can be produced by the unit in an hour. Before you can know what size furnace you ll need, you must have a heat loss/heat gain calculation done on your home. From that, an accurate determination can be made on the size of the heating system you ll need. Most fossil fuel furnaces are substantially oversized for home heating requirements, resulting in increased operating costs. Q: Is the efficiency rating actual or just a manufacturer s average? A: All types of heating and cooling systems have a rated efficiency. Fossil fuel furnaces have a percentage efficiency rating. Natural gas, propane and fuel oil furnaces have efficiency ratings based on laboratory conditions. To get an accurate installed efficiency rating, factors such as flue gas heat losses, cycling losses caused by oversizing, blower fan electrical usage, etc., must be included. Geothermal heat pumps, as well as all other types of heat pumps, have efficiencies rated according to their coefficient of performance or COP. It s a scientific way of determining how much energy the system produces versus how much it uses. Most geothermal heat pump systems have COPs of That means for every one unit of energy used to power the system, two and one-half to three and one-half units are supplied as heat. Where a fossil fuel furnace may be percent efficient, a geothermal heat pump is about 300 percent efficient. Some geothermal heat pump manufacturers and electric utilities use computers to accurately determine the operating efficiency of a system for your home. Q: Will the minimum entering water temperature have an effect on which heat pump I buy? A: Yes. If you have an open-loop system, your entering water temperatures (EWTs) may range from the 70s in the southern United States to the 40s in Canada. All heat pumps can handle temperatures in the moderate to warm ranges. A closed-loop system, on the other hand, will encounter EWTs below freezing. Not all geothermal heat pumps will operate efficiently at those temperatures. It s important for you to know what EWTs your heat pump will handle. Q: Are the dealer and loop installers qualified? A: Don t be afraid to ask for references from dealers. A reputable dealer won t hesitate to give you the names and numbers to call to confirm his capabilities. The same with the 16 loop installer.

17 Geothermal heat pumps: Questions you should ask about a new heating system Q: Will open- or closed-loop be best for you? A: That depends on several factors, as stated earlier. A dealer should be willing to install what s best for you, not for him. Q: Will the loop joints be heat fused? A: The only acceptable method for joining sections of the special pipe used for closed-loop systems is heat fusion. Any other method will eventually result in failure of the loop. Q: How long is the payback period for your geothermal heat pump system? A: To figure this accurately, you must know how much per year you ll save in energy costs with a geothermal system and the difference in costs between it and a conventional heating system and central air conditioner. As an example: If you ll save $700 per year with a geothermal system and the cost difference is $2,000, your payback will be less than three years. Q: If a home has ceiling cable heat or baseboard heat, do air ducts need to be installed? A: Not always. It may be desirable to install geothermal heat pump room units. For some small homes, one room unit would provide most of the heating and cooling needs. Ceiling cable or baseboard units could then be used for supplemental heat. Q: If I want to know more about geothermal heat pump systems, whom should I contact? A: YOUR ELECTRIC UTILITY. Most electric utilities have information about these systems. If you have a question they can t answer, they will put you in contact with someone who can. REMEMBER! YOUR ELECTRIC UTILITY WANTS YOU TO BE AN INFORMED, EFFICIENT USER OF ELECTRICITY. CONTACT THEM ANY TIME YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS. 17

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19 Glossary Btu (British Thermal Unit): The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. Btu is used to signify the heating and cooling capacity of system and the heat losses and gains of buildings and homes. Btuh: The number of Btus produced in one hour. Closed-loop heat pump system: A heat pump system that uses a loop of buried plastic pipe as a heat exchanger. Loops can be horizontal or vertical. COP (Coefficient of Performance): The ratio of heating or cooling provided by a heat pump (or other refrigeration machine) to the energy consumed by the system under designated operating conditions. The higher the COP, the more efficient the system. Compressor: The central part of a heat system. The compressor increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant and simultaneously reduces its volume while causing the refrigerant to move through the system. Condenser: A heat exchanger in which hot, pressurized (gaseous) refrigerant is condensed by transferring heat to cooler surrounding air, water or earth. Cycling losses: The actual efficiency of a heating or cooling system is reduced due to start-up and shut-down losses. Oversizing a heating or cooling system increases cycling losses. Desuperheater: A device for recovering superheat from the compressor discharge gas of a heat pump or central air conditioner for use in heating or preheating water. Fossil fuel: Any of several types of combustible fuels formed from the decomposition of organic matter. Examples are natural gas, propane, fuel oil, oil, and coal. Geothermal heat pump: A heat pump that uses the earth as a heat source and heat sink. Heat exchanger: A device designed to transfer heat between two physically separated fluids or mediums of different temperatures. Heat pump: A mechanical device used for heating and cooling which operates by pumping heat from a cooler to a warmer location. Heat pumps can extract heat from air, water, or the earth. They are classified as either air-source or geothermal units. Heat sink: The medium air, water or earth which receives heat rejected from a heat pump. Heat source: The medium air, water, or earth from which heat is extracted by a heat pump. 19

20 Glossary (continued) Open-loop heat pump system: A heat pump system that uses groundwater from a well or surface water from a lake, pond, or river as a heat source. The water is returned to the environment. Payback: A method of calculating how long it will take to recover the difference in costs of two different heating and cooling systems by using the energy and maintenance cost savings from the more efficient system. Supplemental heating: A heating system used during extremely cold weather when additional heat is needed to moderate indoor temperatures. May be in the form of fossil fuel or electric resistance. 20

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23 INDOOR COMFORT SPECIALISTS, INC. Houston s Only GeothermalXperts 5303 GLENMONT SUITE F HOUSTON, TEXAS TACL-A C PHONE: FAX: Why Should You Choose Us? At Indoor Comfort Specialists, we believe there is only one way to do a job the correct way. We will provide you with all of the engineering data including a manual J load on your home, as well as the correlating engineered loop design. The loop load is more important than the Manual J or Manual D. There are no other dealers/contractors in Houston that will provide you with a copy of the loop load design. Other contractors will often times tell you that they can calculate the loop load but they are really using a simple 1-page Excel form which is provided by the manufacturer for free. The form even states that it is an estimate. In addition many contractors will also use a rule of thumb of installing one loop per ton. For your review, following this letter is a sample calculated loop load from a previous job we installed. It clearly depicts the proper loop length needed now, as well as the engineered loop design that is required in 10 years. This design feature is crucial because in the Houston area we operate our air conditioners approximately 2,500 hours per year and our heaters only 200 hours per year. Since we are cooling dominate, we deposit in excess of 10 times more heat into the earth through our loop system as we take out for the heating system. This results in ground overheating over the years. When a loop system overheats it does not occur overnight. It takes 3-5 years to happen and once it starts it is all downhill from there. The system will end up almost useless and this is what gives geothermal a bad name. With geothermal pricing, it can almost become a hocus-pocus situation. We can reduce the price of your job by $2,000, but this will require eliminating one loop. Of course this action will cause your loop temperatures to run hotter, thereby costing more money to operate your system each month. We invite you to check with the local WaterFurnace factory representative where you will find that we have been doing this for a long time. In fact we often times have to clean up problems caused by other contractors. There are no other contractors that are Certified Geothermal Designers in or around Houston. Most contractors in this area have attended an 8-hour training class whereby they receive a certificate on How To Install A Geothermal Unit, but not how to engineer a properly-sized earth loop. Some systems work and some do not. We repair about 5-10 systems each year that have been designed and installed incorrectly. One customer in Pearland paid another company $40,000 to install two 4-ton systems because our price was $6,000 higher than theirs. After numerous complaints the installing contractor would not even call the homeowner back. The customer then paid our company $12,000 to fix his system. Unfortunately there are many more examples like this. 23

24 If you would like to compare any of these other companies to our company I ask you to: Dial the other contractor s phone number in the middle of the night and see if you get an answering machine or talk a live person. Compare the certifications, training and education of the other contractors you are considering for your installation. We continuously update our training by attending classes to further our geothermal knowledge. Other companies do not. Ask each company if they will provide you with all the related engineering data, including the loop design depicting a 10-year projection of the proper loop length. Check with the Better Business Bureau on each company. Check references of each company. Inquire as to the average loop-length per ton they normally see on their jobs which is usually 250 foot ours is 330 foot of loop per ton on average. We have successfully installed over 5000 tons of geothermal since Since 2009, we have installed geothermal systems in the homes of three astronauts in the Clear Lake area. Two of them are M.I.T. graduates and each received engineering data that satisfied them as to proper loop length design. We believe this is an accomplishment that no other geothermal contractor in Houston has. Those customers have referred us to yet another astronaut, where we are currently designing his geothermal system. His home is in League City. I hope this provides you with some insight into our company. We guarantee you will have a properly designed and installed geothermal system that will give you many years of dependable and efficient performance. Should you have any other questions please feel free to contact me. Best personal regards, Jerry Egan Houston's Only Full Service Green Contractor IGSHPA Certified Geothermal Installer IGSHPA Certified Geothermal Piping Installer IGSHPA Certified Geothermal Piping Designer IGSHPA Certified Geothermal Designer Certified By The Association of Energy Engineers Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers Member of the Geo-Institute Member of the U.S. Green Building Council-Greater Houston Area Chapter State of Texas Class A Contractors License # TACL-A-606C State of Texas Registered A/C & Refrigeration License # 190 State of Texas Certified A/C & Refrigeration Technician License #

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33 Jerry Egan Egan & Hinson 5303 Glenmont Houston, TX Dear Jerry Egan, 33

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